Wellcamp quarantine facility to be given to richlister John Wagner, who will turn it into a private hotel

The controversial Wellcamp facility will this weekend be handed over to private owners to run as a hotel, with not a single cent from accommodation profits going into state government coffers.

• Analysis: An egregious tale of pandemic politics

Taxpayers forked out $220 million for the controversial Wellcamp facility – which will now be run as a private hotel with not a single cent from accommodation profits coming back into state government coffers.

The Palaszczuk government will relinquish control of the 1000-bed facility on Saturday, when richlister John Wagner, who built the precinct with taxpayer funds, is officially handed the keys.

During the pandemic, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the state government would shoulder the financial burden of building the $220 million facility near Toowoomba during a political stoush with then prime minister Scott Morrison.

On Saturday, the state government’s lease will end and the keys will be handed to the Wagner Corporation, run by one of Queensland’s wealthiest families, who intend to use the facility in the short-term for agriculture staff before eventually being transformed into a hotel.

Wagner told The Courier-Mail earlier this month he hoped the quarantine site would be integrated into his planned $175 million Wellcamp Entertainment Precinct as accommodation near Toowoomba.

The Palaszczuk government committed to the project during a political stoush with the Morrison government. Picture: Nev Madsen

When the 1000-bed facility eventually became operational in February last year, it was largely redundant given it coincided with the state government easing its Covid-19 hotel quarantine scheme.

Instead, it was used to house unvaccinated international travellers who were forced to quarantine under state government orders.

Only 730 guests stayed at the facility — meaning the cost of the operation was equal to more than $300,000 per person.

Throughout the life of the lease when there were less guests than the number of beds, charitable groups and advocates called for the accommodation site to be used as crisis shelter for the homeless or families escaping violent partners.

But the state government repeatedly rejected this proposal, insisting the nature of the facility was not suitable for emergency accommodation.

The Opposition, who have been vocal in condemning the project, labelled Wellcamp a “$220 million hotel that Queensland paid for but will never own”.

Just 730 people stayed at the facility. Picture: Nev Madsen.

“This is the worst decision ever made by a state government on behalf of taxpayers,” Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie said.

“The Premier has never apologised for it and she should because Queenslanders will be paying the price for this waste for a long time to come.

“It’s a $500,000 a day check-out bill that could have helped Queenslanders in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.”

But Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Steven Miles said the investment in the facility provided certainty to government and businesses to avoid lockdowns and reopen borders to interstate and international travellers.

“This supported our economic recovery and ensured the safety of Queenslanders,” he said.

“The day before the government announced our intention to build Wellcamp, in August 2021, we had to pause interstate arrivals because all our quarantine hotels were full.

“There were 5114 people across 22 quarantine hotels at the highest point and multiple outbreaks caused by hotel leaks.”

The focus of the saga will now turn to the Queensland Auditor-General, whose probe into the cost and decisions related to commissioning the project is expected to be handed down in the next two months.

Mr Wagner did not comment on the handover of the site but has previously told The Courier-Mail he hoped the precinct would become a legacy infrastructure project for the region, and could be used for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.